Doctor, Doctor, Doctor

[TheNeil]

As part of my ongoing quest to spend at least one day a month at the GPs surgery (hey, it's a job ) I phoned up this week to get an appointment only to find that they've 'gone modern' (phasing out the leeches, getting information on drugs other than aspirin etc.). In ye olden days I (well anyone I assume) could phone up and book an appointment with a doctor anything up to two weeks in advance (with a certain number of 'emergency appointments' being made available each day). That always worked great but now...

 

Now we have a new system in place whereby all appointments are only made available on the day. Cue a mad scramble at 8:30am to phone up (on the one phone line) to get an appointment. Shock, horror, some of us are driving to work at that time so, as I've found out every day this week, all of the appointments have gone by the time I can call (at about 8:45). I don't have an 'emergency', I just need to go in for my prescription review ("Begone foul ADs, I cast thee into the pit of damnation for all eternity").

 

Is this happening everywhere? Is this happening for a reason? How do other people cope? What do they do? Given where I work, most of my journey is through wilderness where there's no mobile phone signal so I can't pull over and phone 'en route'. My boss is 'understanding' but I'd really be pushing things if I said "Err John, could I have the day off just so that I can phone up to try to get a doctor's appointment?".

[ScienceGeek]

My old GP was under that system and it is ridiculous. It makes it near on impossible to get an appointment unless you have the number on speed dial and happen to be attached to the phone for that time of the morning. It doesn't make it easy for people who have to plan appointments into a hectic schedule (like my wife has to). I'm lucky that my current GP isn't like that, just book an appointment and certain amount kept free for emergencies

[KezT]

ours say they do it, but when I looked into it, they are either not actually allowed to or at least it is not good practise. When I complianed, I was told that of COURSE I could book non-urgent appointments

 

Sometimes it is easier to do in person if you can get to the surgery - doctors often send people out saying "come back in two weeks" or whatever, so they are more used to doing it at reception. But if you arguie enough you can get an appointment on the phone.

 

I'm waiting for my surgery to allow online appt. booking

[pearl]

No, its not happening everywhere. Ours used to be like this - very frustrating. Now, you can phone on the day & get an appointment provided you don't want a specific doctor, or up to 2 weeks in advance if you want a particular doctor.

 

Sounds like yours has gone backward & mine has gone forward.

 

Whilst we are on the subject - does everyone's surgery have the touchscreen booking in system now? It crossed my mind, with Swine Flu & all, what a great disease transmitter that is

[ScienceGeek]

My old GP has it, but the practice I go to now is really small so doesn't have it. Then again my old GP sent out reminders when my next injection is due (every 12 weeks so real easy to forget) this one doesn't (the last 2 injections I've been 6 weeks late, which obviously isn't good)

[purplehaze]

My Doctors has been doing this for a while now-but I found out recently that you can phone up in the afternoon to book during the next week! So it's worth checking the rules!

[KarenT]

My GP has started doing online bookings now, so you can make our own appointment when it's convenient to you rather than trying to get through on the phone. 'Tis the way of modern things. Perhaps you could suggest your surgery looks into it too?

 

Karen

x

[TheNeil]

'Internet access'? 'Email'? What are these things? We haven't even got 'call back' (I'm not even going to joke about 'Touchscreen booking in' systems - the like of such a thing has never been seen this side of the Penines). Seriously though, my GP surgery is the kind of place that actually gets its news from the eight year old copies of Women's Weekly that live in the waiting room . In fact I wonder if a visit to see him/her is some sort of Life On Mars experience and I'm actually seeing a GP in 1974 .

 

In the past it not have been perfect as you could never book more than two weeks in advance (which, to be fair, wasn't a great hardship) and it was always a lottery if you needed an emergency appointment but it did at least give those people who simply couldn't be on the phone at 8:30am (for whatever reason) a 'fighting chance' of getting to see someone.

 

I feel letter of complaint coming on...or another phone call to find out what my options are .

[Mumble]

The 21st Century way of doing things:

 

I can:

• Make appointments online (always within a week even if non-urgent and I want a named doctor) or if I don't see an appointment that suits, by email to the receptionists
• Check the dates and times of my appointments online and change them if needed
• Book in via Touch-Screen (which has alcho-gel next to it although there are signs up saying don't come in the building if you have flu symptoms)
• Order repeat prescriptions Online which I can pick up at a time convenient to me or have delivered to my local pharmacist so they are ready to collect within 2 days
• Get test results by email
• Email receptionists, nurses, the practise manager, the medical secretary or even named GPs (via the practise manager) if I have queries that do not require me to go in
• Always be seen on the same-day for emergencies (but not always my doctor)
• Have any tests that are needed done whilst there by a duty nurse to avoid having to come back on another day.

Oh, and on the day of any appointment, I receive a text message telling me I have an appointment, who with, the location and time. I also receive texts/emails when any treatment is due.

 

:notworthy:

 

[KezT]

The 21st Century way of doing things:

 

I can:

• Make appointments online (always within a week even if non-urgent and I want a named doctor) or if I don't see an appointment that suits, by email to the receptionists
• Check the dates and times of my appointments online and change them if needed
• Book in via Touch-Screen (which has alcho-gel next to it although there are signs up saying don't come in the building if you have flu symptoms)
• Order repeat prescriptions Online which I can pick up at a time convenient to me or have delivered to my local pharmacist so they are ready to collect within 2 days
• Get test results by email
• Email receptionists, nurses, the practise manager, the medical secretary or even named GPs (via the practise manager) if I have queries that do not require me to go in
• Always be seen on the same-day for emergencies (but not always my doctor)
• Have any tests that are needed done whilst there by a duty nurse to avoid having to come back on another day.

Oh, and on the day of any appointment, I receive a text message telling me I have an appointment, who with, the location and time. I also receive texts/emails when any treatment is due.

 

:notworthy:

 

I wanna move to your place

 

[NobbyNobbs]

we have online bookable appointments... but we still can't get any. ours work on the two week/that day system, but apparently there's some secret i'm missing as i can never get an appointment on the two week system, and if i phone on the day they say they haven't got any... but blow me if the olde ladies can't walk straight into the surgery, insist on seeing a doctor and get told to come back in 20 minutes!.

 

biggest joke ever when the 3 year old had a seizure we said we needed to see a doctor that day, and they said no we couldn't, then while we were arguing with one receptionist about 3 year olds and medical emergencies the receptionist at the other computer managed to squeeze an old man in to see a specific doctor that day. our receptionist had to go out of the room to ask for help, then walk in and act all surprised that she'd missed an open appointment slot on the computer

 

i need one for a repeat on the ADs, but theres already no appointments in the next two weeks, and when i phone they say theres no appointments with my GP for that day, but i can see someone else... well no... i need to see my GP or theres no point in it (plus none of the other ones there 'believe' in AS which isn't helpful)

 

seriously not helped because the holidaymakers (who double our villages population in the summer) all come to our drs rather than going home, but we dont get extra doctors to cover the big rise in demand.

[Kathryn]

I sympathise - here's an old thread of mine on this very issue:

 

http://www.asd-forum.org.uk/forum/index.ph...intment+surgery

 

K x

[KezT]

we have online bookable appointments... but we still can't get any. ours work on the two week/that day system, but apparently there's some secret i'm missing as i can never get an appointment on the two week system, and if i phone on the day they say they haven't got any... but blow me if the olde ladies can't walk straight into the surgery, insist on seeing a doctor and get told to come back in 20 minutes!.

 

biggest joke ever when the 3 year old had a seizure we said we needed to see a doctor that day, and they said no we couldn't, then while we were arguing with one receptionist about 3 year olds and medical emergencies the receptionist at the other computer managed to squeeze an old man in to see a specific doctor that day. our receptionist had to go out of the room to ask for help, then walk in and act all surprised that she'd missed an open appointment slot on the computer

 

i need one for a repeat on the ADs, but theres already no appointments in the next two weeks, and when i phone they say theres no appointments with my GP for that day, but i can see someone else... well no... i need to see my GP or theres no point in it (plus none of the other ones there 'believe' in AS which isn't helpful)

 

seriously not helped because the holidaymakers (who double our villages population in the summer) all come to our drs rather than going home, but we dont get extra doctors to cover the big rise in demand.

 

You should put in a formal complaint tro the practise manager, and if necessary to your Trust. It was after I complained the the practise manager that I was informed that of COURSE I could book in advance and there is some rule that they MUST offer urgent appointments to anyone who needs one (I think they have 48 hours).

[NobbyNobbs]

You should put in a formal complaint tro the practise manager, and if necessary to your Trust. It was after I complained the the practise manager that I was informed that of COURSE I could book in advance and there is some rule that they MUST offer urgent appointments to anyone who needs one (I think they have 48 hours).

ahh that wont work. one of the doctors gave my sisters medical details and mobile no to a pharmacist after the silly woman managed to stab herself with my sisters old epi-pen and decided she must've given her HIV (which my sister doesn't have) so that the woman could phone my sister and harass her about it. my sister wrote a complaint to the practice manager... only to discover the practice manager is wife of said doctor! needless to say nothing was done about it

 

they've also given incorrect information to the DWP about me which has taken me an entire year to get thrown out (had to go to tribunal) so i dont hold much faith in them, hence only seeing the one good GP. there aren't any other doctors surgeries for 9 miles so no hope of changing

[noogsy]

they tried this system here in our area.the only way here to get a appointment was to walk into the surgery and make a appointment.

it is a bit much to ask people to scramble for appointments on the day and caused queues while nasty dr secretary was trying to answer the phone... .

the system was suggested by the so called practice mananger here.

everyone complained in writing and things were changed back to the old way.

where it fell flat on its face was if the dr said come back to me in a week to see if this is better we may have to take bloods

i used to say to the dr ill come back to see you if i can get a appointment next thursday....dr pulling faces...

yes that particular on the day appointment system doesnt work.

especially with one phone line.

and one lady on the phones.

i think you should walk in and tell them what has happend and tell them you need a meds review,and watch the secretary woman sigh....she is bound to be exasperated to.

love noogsyxxxx

[brooke]

yes its the same for us too, if i or boys need an appointment i have to sit with the phone on redial untill i get through and just hope there is a dr i know that will have a spare appointment

[sesley]

for prescriptions can you order them on line? i do mune that way at its brilliant since i am here anyway and it saves having to go there and just pick up from your selected pharmacy. Doctors i don't bother them unless i really have to and get dialing at 8 am to eventually get someone and stay dialing until they answer. it works mostly